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Unprovoked shark bites up last year

More people in water after COVID restrictions in 2020 behind the increase

  • Scott LaMar
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Airdate: Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Seventy-three people were bitten in unprovoked shark bites worldwide in 2021 and nine of them were killed.

The good news is that being attacked or bitten by a shark is extremely rare.

Forty-seven of the unprovoked shark bites occurred in waters off the United States, with Florida leading the way. There was only one fatal shark attack in the U.S. and that was in California.

The Florida Program for Shark Research at the Florida Museum of Natural History and the University of Florida compiles this information every year. Its program director, Dr. Gavin Naylor is on Tuesday’s Smart Talk.

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